Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I I University of South Carolina PD I HAY MADPPI91 9009 Vol.96,No.70 www.dailygamecock.com rrYIL/rWj IVIMrvL»n Z i., ZUUO Since 1908 , » » — =^~.. - — 1 1 - - ■ —- - - 1 THE FIRST DAYS OF WAR Intelligence officials think Saddam was in bombed building BY JOHN J. LUMPKIN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - U S. intelli gence thinks Saddam Hussein and possibly two of his sons were present inside a suburban Baghdad compound when it was ^struck by U.S. missiles and bombs and that medical atten tion was summoned afterward, government officials said Thursday night. The officials, speaking on con dition of anonymity, said as of press time that intelligence agencies have not made any de termination yet whether Saddam or his sons were injured or killed in the attacks and they were carefully analyzing video tapes purporting to show Saddam after the attack. U.S. officials said there was no evidence that Saddam, or anyone else, was in overall com mand of Iraq’s security or mili tary operations in the aftermath of the attack Thursday night. The attack, which involved ship-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles and bombs dropped ♦ COMPOUND, SEE PAGE 4 • Helicopter crash kills 16, marking first coalition casualties »iic. AMnniTA ran rmjnn WASHINGTON - A US. Marine helicopter crashed in Kuwait Thursday, killing all 16 American and British soldiers aboard, military officials said. The crash of the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter killed 12 British and four U.S. soldiers, officials said. The helicopter was m assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. The helicopter crashed at 7:37 p.m. EST — Friday morning in Kuwait — about 9 miles away trom the Doraer with Iraq, mili tary officials said. The cause of the crash is under investigation, the officials said, adding that hostile fire had not been report ed in the area. The Marines use the Sea Knight, a bus-like helicopter with two large rotors, to fly troops from ships at sea or base camps to forward positions. American and British com bat units rumbled across the desert into Iraq from the south ♦ WAR, SEE PAGE 4 rnUI U BY JUHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK In the past five months, 37 full-time USC students have withdrawn from the university to fullfill their duties In the military. Students received a full refund of their fees due to a policy created during the Gulf War in 1991. USC students answer call to duty 37 reservists have left school to serve military since October BY MICHAEL LAFORGIA THE GAMECOCK Thirty-seven full-time students have withdrawn from classes since October to serve in the armed forces, according to num bers released by the Office of Student Life. Five students with drew in October, 10 in January, 15 in February, and seven, so far, in March. Jerry Brewer, Student Life di rector, said the Board of Trustees has a policy of refunding fees to full-time students called up to serve in the military during times of war or national emergency. Brewer said the policy was estab lished in 1991 during the Gulf War. Lt. Col. Lewis Buchanan of USC Army ROTC said three Army ROTC members were called up from Army reserves to active duty. Buchanan said reservists are mobilized, or called up to active duty and assigned to a unit, de pending on what they do for the military. “Most of them are being de ployed for different reasons,” Buchanan said. He also said the Army ROTC student reservists understand their obligations and that they are proud to serve. According to Buchanan, other members of Army ROTC — both students and staff—also serve as reservists or National Guard members and might be mobilized, although he said he did not know whether more reservists would be called up from USC. “It depends how long the hu ♦ STUDENTS, SEE PAGE 4 Latest Developments in the Iraq Crisis ♦ Americans pursued communications with Iraqis aimed at surrender or a coup. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said the communications included Iraq's elite Republican Guard and he was optimistic that it was still possible to unseat Saddam Hussein's regime without a ♦ U.S. Marines and Army troops crossed into southern Iraq and engaged Iraqi units, destroying at least one tank and several entered the al-Faw peninsula, Iraq's access to the Persian Gulf. Allied forces fire artHlety across the border into Iraq during the day and through the night Americans aboard, military officials said. The cause of the crash is under investigation, and the officials said hostile fire had not been reported in the area. ♦ Second wave of missiles hit Baghdad, where the night sky was filled with anti-aircraft fire and loud detonations echoed through the city. The main presidential palace and the ministry of planning were stuck. Explosions also went off in the northern city of Mosul. With, orange flames visible in the direction of the southern Iraqi oii center Basra. Rumsfeld confirmed there are reports the Iraqi regime may have ignited “three or four" oii wells. * Iraq said four soldiers were killed and six others weie wounded in the strikes on mam • _ ■ Baghdad. The Red Cross confirmed one other person killed, 14 injured in initial U.S. attack. ♦ British Prime MinisterTony Blair, Bush’s staunchest ally in the war effort, w^nt on television to tell his country that British forces were “engaged from air, land and sea," ♦ The Turkish parliament approved a pian to let U.S. warplanes fly over Turkey in the war against Iraq. The measure fails short of Washington’s initial request for permission to base 62,000 troops in the country. ♦ Security concerns about terrorist attacks focused on nuclear power plants, with -fljatfebs in Alabama, AnamaC Mary land and Ohio. Security nationwide remained at its 1 highest level since the Sept. 11 attack. ♦ Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham expressed confidence there are adequate oil supplies available to the United States to compensate for any losses of crude oil as a result of the war. ♦ The Vatican expressed “deep pain" over the start of the U.$. led war in Iraq, faulting both sides for failing to find a peaceful solution. Pope John Paul II dedicated a dawn Mass in his private chape; to peace. ♦ Iraq fired a dozen missiles across the Kuwaiti border tow ard U.S. troops and at least one was Intercepted by a Patriot missile. No injuries or damage were reported; there was no immediate evidence of chemical or biological warheads SjgOCtATED PRESS: PHOTO fev CAMP!. *, ineex Comics and Crossword 9 Classifieds 12 Horoscopes 9 9 Letters to the Editor ~ 6 Online Poll g Police Report 5 Weather TODAY TOMORROW High 71* High 75 Low 54 Low 56 m I ms issue ♦ ON THE WEB Check out state, nation and world briefs. www.daHygamecock.com ♦ VIEWPOINTS David Stagg targets the war coverage that almost took over “American Idol.” Page 6 ♦THE MIX World Night exposes USC to dances, fashions and food from around the globe. Page 7 ♦ SPORTS The baseball team wallops the Wofford Terriers 29-4 on Wednesday. Page 10 PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK Jami Collins, left, a collections technician at the American Red Cross, finishes Nick Leventis' donation. Leventls, a programmer for State Retirement Systems, is a USC alumnus. ----- ; -r-=“■-^ The Tomahawk Missile Weight: 3,200 lbs. Length: 20.5 feet Range: 690 miles Diameter: 20 inches Speed: 550 mph Wingspan: 8.7 feet fc—iC—_GRAPHIC BY SHAWN ROURK/THE GAMECOCK --- Blood drive at USC might help war effort BY KATHERINE HALLORAN THE GAMECOCK The American Red Cross, along with USC’s fraternity and sorority councils, will hold a blood drive at the Russell House Ballroom on Sunday and March 30 from 1 to 7 p.m. “It is the blood on the shelves today that saves lives to boost our blood supply during this time of conflict and possible disaster,” said Steve Maness, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross South Carolina Blood Services Region. “The Red Cross called the University of South Carolina one of the most reliable core blood donors in the state.” The Red Cross has signed an agreement with the Defense ♦ RED CROSS, SEE PAGE 4